tavis: the emmy awards part a mixture of previous and new faces sunday night. i look at conversations with several winners, including matthew weiner, edie falco, and ed o'neill. "modern family" took its first emmy, while "mad men" won its fourth consecutive title. >> all i know is his name is james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i am james. >> yes. difference, you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance proudly supports tavis smiley. tavis and nationwide insurance, working to improve financial literacy and the economic

empowerment that comes with it. >> nationwide is on your side >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- tavis: winning of the award for lead actress in a comedy series, edie falco told the audience she was not funny. the former "sopranos" star took the emmy for a show that is sometimes funny and sometimes dark. >> i am off the clock. >> i don't mind.

>> four minutes till brain damage. >> we need some help. >> i got it. [grunting] >> are you all right? tavis: fair to say this is a dark comedy? >> i think that is fair. [laughter] tavis: how the mix comedy with medicine? >> i just say the words. it is the riders that do it. tavis: what attracted you to it? >> i think jackie is funny. she is smart. she is strong. she is scary and complicated and unpredictable.

tavis: any attraction to it in part because it seems like anything related to madison right now seems to work on television? -- two medicine seems to work on television? >> it is more about what she is about. i think she would have brought her personality into whatever she did. it just happens that i am obsessed with medical shows in real life. documentary medical shows like "the real deal." i do not know anything about these other hospital shows -- >> anatomy."gray's i cannot say how we compare to those other shows. i like her and happen to like medical stuff. tavis: tell me about the character. we got a glimpse in the scene,

but tell me more. >> she is a good person. she wants to do the right thing. she also decides how to make that happen. i do not think she is real interested in roadblocks. she is going to make it happen regardless of the rules. i think she does not care a lot about how people feel about her. it is fun to be a person who just goes about her business. tavis: as a nurse, you are supposed to care about people. >> i think she may care to much. she knows there are rules she is supposed to follow. if it gets in the wake of what she is supposed to do -- tavis: she cares about the people, but not the powers that be. >> it is her job to care about the people who come in for help. doctors or hospital administrative rules be damned, she has a job to do. tavis: when you get to the place where you are comfortable, where

you do not necessarily have to work -- where you choose to work -- what does give you the edge? what makes you want to come back out? >> i do not know. the same thing that kept my father doing sculpture or painting. it was what he loved to do. anyone who is driven by some internal art thing, for lack of a better term. if you have a need to create something -- i do not ever know what that is. not to get cosmic, but is it got-given? i do not know. it is a need to do something. to create something that has not existed before. i was sort of pleased to find it because it brings me great joy. tavis: the nominees for best actor in a drama series were chasing the eventual winner, bryan cranston.

the "breaking bad" star won his third consecutive emmy for a unique role. >> there is this entire side to this thing. there is your side and my side. you have not heard my side yet. you have not heard any of itt all. no. how? what? >> she knows now? >> in breaking bad, the conceit was that if my wife found out what i was doing that is the end of the game. the writers came to the conclusion that if we continue with this shroud over her that she does not know, we jeopardize her character, because she is a smart woman. she would eventually find out. they threw it out and had to work themselves out of a corner in order to continue with the

story. tavis: shame on you. it is a great show. for those of you who have not seen "breaking bad," explain what she discovered. >> my character, walter white, was a nice man, a high-school teacher. he was a little depressed from missed opportunities in his life and had to have a second job to pay his bills because he has a special needs some and an accident baby is on the way. he loves his wife and family. but he finds out he also has terminal lung cancer and has a year or two to live. faced with that reality, he goes into a fit and realizes that he does not want to leave a legacy of illness and destitution. he uses his chemistry background to cook crystal meth, become a drug dealer, and make as much money for his family as he can before he dies.

it asks that question. what would you do if you have a year and a half to live? to my character, it is a real question. tavis: do you ever give yourself the space to think about whether or not, given who you play in this series, given the fact that it may go a few more years, that bryan cranston may be typecasting himself? does an actor not think about that when he is working? >> i did not. i did seven years of "malcolm in the middle." you are a victim of your success. it is a double-edged sword. as well written and proud of that show as i was, i needed to move onto a different arena. i was lucky that "breaking bad" came along. i think walter white is the best character i have had in my career. i am not looking beyond. i am enjoying this moment in time. i appreciate the quality of the

riding -- of the writing. the awards that have come are a wonderful surprise. if it helps us stay on the air for the duration to tell our story, i am on board. tavis: use a water is the best character you have ever played in your career. >> i knew from the moment i read the pilot script of "breaking bad" that this was a compelling and dynamic character. i wanted to get in on it as soon as possible. if it is out there, there are going to be actors who are going to actor -- going to go after this hard and heavy. the only thing we as actors can control is to say yes or no to the material. that is the most important element we have in our control. when you read a piece of material, whether it is a children's play for a screenplay, you want to be able to identify well-written material.

it is well-written, it has a chance to be good. it is not well-written, it may be successful, but it will not be good. i only want to do well-written material. walter wright is a character that from the start is a good, upstanding citizen. the idea that our creature had is to do something that has never been done on television. that is over the course of the series to have him go through a transformation. by the end of the series, i am going to be a murderous killer drug dealer. it is fascinating to think sociologically. tavis: that turns you on? >> oh my gosh. as an actor? tavis: i am going to be a murderous killer and i am loving it. >> he wanted to see if he could turn a nice guy into starke face. that is what the attempt is. you look at this character who wants out of this bad business,

until this drug dealer says to him i will give you $3 million for three months of your time. all of a sudden, he gets sucked back in. that is what audiences can relate to, the real temptation we as human beings have. maybe not they today but threat your lifetime there are sprinklings of real temptation that draw you away from your moral center. tavis: the breakout newcomer was a self-describe the geek who stars in the comedy "the big bang theory." jim parsons took the prize for best actor in a comedy series. >> i just rang the doorbell. we are about to go in and have milk and cookies with stanley -- with stan lee. >> i just want to talk to him. are you stan lee?

tavis: what the think you bring to the table in playing the character that makes him multidimensional and funny to us beyond the script? does that make sense? >> yes. i -- it relates back to the wrtiers again. i trust the words enough to buy it fully. i would never shortchange, no matter how ridiculous, something they have him do. i would never shortchange it by saying i don't know somebody. i try to do it every time like not only would he do it, but he would do it with a passion. you know what i mean? that is what sums up this series in general, and these characters. but they feel passionate about not only is the science. they are geniuses and what have you. but even their passions happened

to smaller circles of society. i think it is entertaining to not be a part of that circle as a viewer and to watch them and get a kick out of what these guys have fun doing, what these guys get angry about. it is so tiny. i think a lot of comedy is like that. it is funny because you cannot believe how passionate people are about this obscure or seemingly minuscule thing. to them, it is not. >> what is it about genius that gets your attention? >> you are no such upstairs. >> a long way from genius. >> in this situation, what is so fun is the odd particulars of it. in this situation, these people are genius. part of that seems to be this ability to focus so precisely in

a category -- on an object or a subject -- that allows or causes everything to fall to the side. the character i am planning, specifically -- there is a certainopment that occurs because he was not exposed and continues not to put himself out there. you get into the romance idea. will he have a relationship? we are dealing with a character that seems to be developing that has basically opted out of that. he has no passing interest in it. if he think about it, it seems to be, "what a waste of time. there is so much to be done." he is befuddled by his remains constant trying to connect with another girl human being so they can what, have sex?

you are wasting your time and abilities. that is what is fun. the other thing -- this combines the genius in science aspect -- is the world is our oyster as far as what we can talk about. science wise, what story line is out of reach? if it is within the realm of imagination, it is within our possibilities. they can write about it. as far as the genius goes, who are you to look at a character and said they would not do that? i do not know what they would do. if they write it, i am able to died in police. he has every excuse in the world. he is a person like i have never experienced. if i have, i apologize. do you know but i mean? the possibilities are endless because he is a genius. tavis: when former "married with children" star ed o'neill

returned to television, no one could have expected the success of "modern family." >> if your friend is as gay as they come. >> you have to be kidding. >> my data are -- my gaydar is never wrong. >> he is married. >> also was elton john and colporteur. you are wrong about a lot of things. good seeing you guys. >> that is a great coat. >> ping. [laughter] tavis: i was saying before we came on camera how fortunate you must feel to get a chance to do this again. you are the number one, the again. i thought you were done. i thought i would never see you again. married with children was so

huge. here you are again. >> i am very fortunate. for a long time, i was not interested in doing a half hour. i thought let me do a movie or go to sundance or something. when i met steve levenson and chris lloyd, the pitch the idea of the show. when they wrote it and i read it, i said i had to do this. tavis: how can you, over the course of your career, particularly after those 11 or 12 series -- seasons of "married with children," how do you square knowing that for the rest of your life you will be known as mr. bundy, and knowing that you are a lover of legitimate theater? >> you have to get over that perio. [laughter] you just have to keep score a different way. for a while, i tried. i would correct people on the

street. they would say "al." after a while, i would hear myself say that. these people do not know who i am. they know me as al. after a while, i embraced it. every day is not as successful as another might be. but i am a lucky guy. i made a lot of money, which got me out of the system. you can look at it as a very positive thing, which i do. >> is that what you mean by keeping score differently? >> for a long time -- i never really did lose the idea that i wanted respect from my peers. that is why i am so happy about the show i am doing now. that is starting to happen. i got that a little bit with some stuff i did with david on cbs, and on hbo. those were great roles for me.

i have had some good roles. tavis: it is the number one new comedy. everybody has seen it. for those who have not seen it, the sitcom is about what? >> i play a guy named jake pritchett, divorced, and grandchildren, who remarries a younger woman from columbia from colombia. my son is in their relationship. he is gay. my daughter is more of a yuppie or traditional family. it is all three trying to make things work. tavis: that breeds a lot of the humor. >> it does. it also does not explain the show at all. i think you have to see it, the way it plays out.

tavis: you can see those elements lending themselves. >> that is right. it is an ensemble, which attracted me. there is not a lot of heavy lifting, one person doing everything. i am the patriarch. i am the oldest member of the cast. i am number one on the call sheet. what is so good about being no. 1 on the call sheet? you do not have to deal with who is number one, because you are it. [laughter] but the idea that i go to work and i watch these young actors -- they are blowing me away. they are also good. it is really fun to be a part of it. tavis: the final honor went to a familiar choice -- "mad men." the drama has put the amc network on the map and cemented

matthew weiner as one of the best writers in the business. >> do you think i am a bigot? >> i just want to know why you watch. >> i do not know. i do not remember. >> it is your tv. it is a big purchase. >> i do not watch the damn thing. >> why not? >> why should i? we have bigger problems to worry about than tv. tavis: i have been amazed watching the series in its third season, the way you have weak in the critical issues of the day, the events of the day in the storyline of the show. >> it is hard because i do not want the show to be a history lesson, necessarily. i did want it to be about now, to some degree. all of the events of that time -- a lot did change. my original inspiration in doing the show was to start with

people in 1960 and see what it was like to get their, especially adults at that time. if you have lived through the great depression and see social upheavals of the 60's, so what? here it comes again. it does go like that. one of the most interesting things as a writer is seeing how people experience history, how they experience what is going on in their everyday life. some people read the paper. some do not. some gigantic event may have happened in the economy. the recession might be over right now and we do not know that. a year from now, we will say september 18 was it. you do not want to be preachy. you want to be true to the people and the specific world they are in. i try to have some events come in at different times. but i do not want it to be like here is the big event, here is the big event.

>> if you have read anything about the show, you know this part of the story. this show was turned down a few times by some major outlets. >> it was turned down pretty much everywhere. tavis: i was trying to be nice. >> if you do not have the stomach for this, you have to -- you have to be the person who thrives on rejection. >tavis: i celebrate the fact that you got it on after all those rejections. what was it that made you think you had something that could work? the only thing that matters is what you think. do you believe this is a good product? you keep pushing and pushing and eventually somebody gets it. when did you know? >> it is an interesting question. looking back, if i had known it was going to take five years -- i wrote it nine years ago.

i kept thinking it was going to happen tomorrow. you go through cycles. anyone who -- i did believe in it. i thought it was really entertaining. i felt proud of it. i am hard on myself. i would not say at a modest, but i am definitely hard on myself. i did it to my agents. i thought it was the best thing i had ever done. i thought it had a lot going for it entertainment-wise. i am an entertainer. it would be a lie to say that i did not give up on it plenty. i have an amazing support system. my wife believed it was really good. my representatives had a lot of faith in it. i showed it to a few writers, many of whom i work with now. i gave him the script. there were so encouraging. i was on the sopranos. it got me my job on the

sopranos. it was my writing sample. i will not lie to you. i carried it around in my back. if you and i had sat next to each other on an airplane and enough time had passed -- tavis: take a look at this. >> you always want to look -- you always want to take a seat next to a beautiful woman, but it is me. tavis: that is our show for tonight. thanks for watching. as always, keep the faith. >> for more information -->> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org >> join me next time for a conversation with martin landau and his new film. that is next time. see you then. >> all i know is his name is james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i am james. >> yes. >> to everyone making a difference, you help us all live better.

>> nationwide insurance proudly supports tavis smiley. with every question and every answer,tavis and nationwide insurance, working to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it. >> nationwide is on your side >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you.